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Banded tonguefish (Symphurus fasciolaris) — Cynoglossidae

Banded tonguefish

Symphurus fasciolaris
Family: Cynoglossidae
LC · Least Concern

The Banded tonguefish (Symphurus fasciolaris) is a brackish-water fish of the family Cynoglossidae that grows up to 25 cm.

Length
24.5 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
1.0–50.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The banded tonguefish is a tonguefish (Cynoglossidae) from the eastern Pacific. As a tonguefish it has a very asymmetric, leaf-shaped body with both eyes on an upward-facing side and a pointed tail that merges with the dorsal and anal fin. It lives bottom-bound on sandy bottoms of coastal waters and sometimes enters estuaries. As a bottom hunter it feeds on small bottom invertebrates. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Banded tonguefish?

The Banded tonguefish has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a horizontal stripes pattern.

Where does the Banded tonguefish live?

The Banded tonguefish lives in brackish water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Banded tonguefish get?

The Banded tonguefish grows to a maximum of about 25 cm. On average the species is around 15 cm.

Is the Banded tonguefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Banded tonguefish is harmless to humans.

Is the Banded tonguefish edible?

The Banded tonguefish is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Bandtongschar sourced
English name
Banded tonguefish verified
Scientific name
Symphurus fasciolaris
Family
Cynoglossidae
Other names
Banded tongue-fish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
24.5 verified
Average length (cm)
15.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Horizontal stripes inferred
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
50.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Symphurus

More from the family Cynoglossidae

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